


Stardew Valley: The Starburst Birthmark

by Silent_girl01



Series: The Yami Curse [1]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Magic Revealed, Misunderstandings, My First Work in This Fandom, No Beta, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:02:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23135857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silent_girl01/pseuds/Silent_girl01
Summary: When Lucille was 12-years-old, her dying grandfather gave her a letter, stating to not open it until the time was right.  Ten years later, Lucille suddenly arrives in Pelican Town seemingly checking her grandfather’s old farm.  However, the circumstances are not as they seem.  After all, this story is not about Lucille.
Relationships: Abigail & Sam & Sebastian (Stardew Valley), Clint/Emily (Stardew Valley), Haley/OC, Leah & OC, Sam & Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sebastian & Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane & Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/OC, Vincent & Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: The Yami Curse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662997
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. Prologue

The dwelling was shadowed by all but the flickering of a candle, reflecting across the assembled crowd. No murmurings could be heard as they listened to the poor, old man speak. Instead, small sobs and the small breeze swept through the room like spring's rainfall.

The man wheezed, his eyes locking with a young girl who gripped her skirt tight. Tears trickled down her face as he then spoke to her. "And...for my very special granddaughter, Lucille, I want you to have this sealed envelope." On queue, a man dressed in all black and white passed the little girl a letter. The elderly man didn't dare speak as the tiles creaked and groaned from the movement alone.

Her hands trembled as she gripped it close, moving her fingers to the wing. "No, No, don't open it yet," her grandfather coughed, the girl flinching at the sudden voice. "Have patience, my child." Lucille took in a struggling breath before nodding to her grandfather, the motion practically feeling elastic.

A smile slowly graced her Grandpa's face before he continued. "Now, listen close... There will be a day when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life...and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness." The old man reached out, gently clutching her hand in his own, the wrinkles within holding a strange weight to them. "When that happens, my girl, you'll be ready for this gift."

Her grandfather moved, slow as a snail, patting Lucille's shoulder. "Now, let grandpa rest..." She couldn't stop the strangled sound from leaving her as his hand fell. Her mother's wails struck the sky and, finally, Yoba cried with them. The heavenly tears pitter-pattered on the roof as the light left his eyes.

And all at once, the breeze squeezed through the narrowly opened window and snuffed the candle out.

\--

Lucille read that letter exactly five years later, as middle school weighed on her. A new place was tempting, it truly was. However, as she looked out to the bustling city outside her very own window, she found herself putting it back in its envelope.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa. But...maybe one day I can go to your special place." Lucille swept away the tears that threatened to fall and prepared to do her homework.


	2. A Slight Misunderstanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lewis waits for Lucille to arrive and shows her the desolate farm before taking her to lunch. Of course, she then explains why she has come to visit.

Robin glanced at her watch, waiting on the dusty dirt road. She was honestly supposed to be manning her shop, but something had come up. Apparently, Lewis's friend's granddaughter was coming to visit for the first time in years. She normally wouldn't have known, but when your front door is flung open at five in the morning with the mayor yelling to get up, it kinda leads to things.

As her patience was beginning to wear thin, a dusty, silver bus began to roll up to her. A small squeak echoed in the breeze along with the sharp gust from the exhaust pipe. The sliding door sharply opened, rattling a bit as it hit the wall of the vehicle. "Pelican Town!" The driver shouted out.

For a moment, Robin watched and waited for something to happen. The rumbling of the vehicle continued, but she could hear the thud of something hitting the ground. 

It took a few moments before the feminine figure reached the door and walked down the steps. Robin's first impression of this young lady was that she was professional. Lucille's hair was up in a bun and sharp glasses adorned her face. Her very outfit was a blue and black dress the clung to her just enough to be eyecatching, but not enough to be scandalous.

"Oh! Hello," the woman spoke, a slight smile in the girl's very tone. 

Robin smiled back, though it wasn't exactly the expression she wanted to hold. Carefully, she held out her hand. "Hello! You must be Lucille. I'm Robin, the local carpenter."

Lucille took Robin's and shook it, making sure to have a nice, strong grip as she did so. "Nice to meet you, Robin. Though, I half expected the mayor to be awaiting my arrival."

Robin smiled and replied, "Actually, Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home. He's there right now, tidying things up for your arrival."

She nodded along until the 'new home' part reached her ears. She began to mouth, "Wait what-"

"The farm's right over here, if you'll follow me," Robin continued, before turning around and walking away, though she did look behind her to make sure Lucille was following.

As they walked, Robin, in her half-asleep state, didn't notice Lucille's panicking. ' _New home?! But I thought told Lewis that-_ "

Just then, Robin stopped and said, "This is Kairos Farm."

Lucille's internal panic only skyrocketed when she saw the state of her grandfather's land. "Oh Yoba!" she yelped, almost falling over a stone right behind her.

This, of course, woke Robin up a bit more. "What's wrong?" she asked, blinking slightly.

"Grandfather's land looks...chaotic."

Robin snickered slightly at the understatement. "Well sure, it is a bit overgrown, but there's some good soil underneath all that mess."

The woman just gave her a look.

A laugh left the woman again. "Oh, come on, it isn't that bad. With a little dedication, you'll have it cleaned up in no time," Robin offered, though she secretly agreed with Lucille.

' _That isn't what I'm worried about..._ '

Robin turned around and pointed to the rickety, old building that had been behind them. "And here we are, your new home."

Lucille tried to begin again as she too turned. "About that-"

The creaking of an unoiled door reach the woman's ears and her eyes glanced up. A man in overalls and a simple green shirt stepped on to the worn patio, his hair having long since greyed. His brown eyes instantly lit up at seeing the auburn-haired girl. "Ah, welcome! I'm Lewis, Mayor of Pelican Town. You know, everyone's been asking about you. It's not every day that someone moves in. It's quite a big deal!"

"Uhm..."

"So... You're moving into your grandfather's old cottage," he says, looking almost nostalgically at the building. "It's a good house...very 'rustic'."

All three of them looked over the house. The old board clearly splintering and the roof practically tearing itself apart. Robin put a hand to her mouth as she giggled, "Rustic? That's one way to put it. 'Crusty' might be a little more apt, though."

"Rude!" Lewis gasped out, glaring at the red-headed carpenter, who simply continued giggling.

 _'Is this really going to be okay?_ ' Lucille wondered, thinking back to a week prior. ' _This is a bit more of an issue than I had anticipated._ '

Lewis huffed before turning to the concerned woman. "Don't listen to her, Lucille. She's just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of her house upgrades." His eyes narrowed at the woman snidely.

In turn, Robin gasped out before turning away. "Hmmph!"

Lewis smiled, a battle won, before turning to Lucille again. "Anyway, you must be tired from the long journey. You should get some rest. Tomorrow you ought to-"

"Actually," the woman interrupted him, "I need to speak about something important to you. Something that can't wait."

Lewis blinked a bit, noticing as Lucille gripped her hands together. "Well, if it is that important...let's speak over lunch."

She nodded a bit and looked at Robin. "Perhaps you should come as well, so you are both clarified on the situation."

Robin's eyes widen, but she simply responds, "Wha... Okay then."

\---

The door to the saloon creeps open, catching Gus's attention. A moment later, three pairs of footsteps enter the building. Two people, of course, he recognizes as Mayor Lewis and Robin. The third, however, was very new to him.

As he cleaned one of the glasses he quickly spoke to the new lady. "Well hello there! I'm Gus, chef and owner of the Stardrop Saloon. Stop in if you need any refreshments. I've always got hot coffee and cold beer at the ready."

"Ah, thank you, Gus. What types of food do you have available currently?" Lucille asks him, as she messes a bit with her hair.

"Well, we have the usual spaghetti, salad, and pizza. Today's special, however, is Fried Eel."

Lucille winced at the thought of eating eel, though she attempted to hide it with a look of contemplation. "I think...I'll have spaghetti."

Robin smiles at her. "Good choice! I'll also have spaghetti."

"And I will have the fried eel," Lewis responded, smiling at the ladies.

As Gus went about quickly making the meals, the small group looked at each other. After a moment of silence, Lucille finally began to speak. "I apologize for the awkward...ness, but, I think we're on opposite pages."

Lewis tilted his head slightly, his eyebrows scrunching together. "I'm not sure I follow..."

"Well, perhaps I can clear this up with one sentence then."

Lewis nodded and glanced at Robin, who shrugged in turn. "Well, go ahead and say it, Ms. Greenhorn," Robin motioned to her.

"Well, most importantly, I have no intention of living on my Grandfather's farm."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun! I'm sorry, but I really wanted to write a twist where the person staying in the farm is not the granddaughter.


	3. The Truth of a Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucille explains who exactly is staying on her grandfather's farm and why.

"What?!" Both Lewis and Robin gasped out, staring at the auburn-haired woman.

"Yeah, I was trying to explain earlier, but I'm not the one who's going to be staying at the cottage," Lucille answers them, watching them.

Robin gasps out and gives her a certain look. "Are you planning on selling it to...Joja?"

"What? No! I already waste my time working for them, there is no way I am selling something so special." The woman sighed into her hand, glancing around the place passively before looking upon the two people. "Again I am not the person staying there. I'm letting someone else stay on the farm instead."

"Who?" Lewis asked, clearly waiting for an answer.

"Well..."

  
\---

  
**A Week Earlier**

  
_A crash echoed through the room, catching the attention of Lucille._

_"You idiotic intern!" a voice, which she recognized as her manager's, screeched out._  
_"I-I apologize. It won't happen again," a female replied, though it was as quiet as a whisper. As the voice stuttered out apology after apology, Lucille looked out of her office booth._

_A hand grasped at the girl's raven hair, the constant whispers silenced. "This is the fifth time since you started here. Do it again, and you will be fired!" their supervisor screamed at the poor woman, who didn't even cry as her hair was yanked once more before the man stomped away with his secretary._

_The woman remained on the floor for a moment more before getting to her feet and scrambling to the hall, whispering about heading to the bathroom. And Lucille knew EXACTLY who the woman was, too._

_Her roommate had been the one who posted an ad for a roommate soon after she had graduated. Lucille remembered how easily the girl flinched when touched, perhaps from the rough hands of their very superiors. And she certainly remembered how long it took for the woman to place trust in her._

_Three years, six months, three weeks, two days, twenty-three hours, seventeen minutes and 15.76 seconds. From the moment Lucille had met her, it took her exactly that long for the girl to place trust in her. And more than that, the girl had already surprised her. After all, it isn't every day a sixteen-year-old girl requests a roommate who also works at Joja._

_Lucille, deciding her next action, quickly sent her superiors a notice that she was going on a fifteen-minute smoke break before rushing after the distraught woman. The clacking of her heels against the tile floor matched swiftly as she made towards the bathroom with a brisk stride. On her way, she bumped into the marketing employees once or twice as the odor of inked paper stabbed at her nostrils._

_Sobs, barely above a whisper, left the bathroom door as Lucille got closer. She raised her hand to the door, stopping for a moment, before tapping her fist against it. Abruptly, the tiny wails stopped in their wake._

_"Sakura. It's me, Lucille. Can I come in?" Lucille called out, praying to Yoba that Sakura would respond positively._

_Sniffles echoed through the plastic door before she got any response, "Y-yes..."_

_Lucille quietly replied, "I'm coming in then." And slowly, so as to not startle Sakura, she opened the door._

_There she saw her co-worker and closest friend leaned against the sink, gripping the edge of it as she trembled. The particular waft of a bathroom, as weird as it was, emanated from the marblesk stalls as she got closer._

_"What happened exactly? You were getting better as balancing the cups without dropping them. So, what gives?" Lucille asked her, slightly concerned. And Sakura had been getting better at it. Due to the girl's lack of schooling due to her native home, it was a miracle she wasn't having more issues. Then again, Joja was crazy for having a policy where you only get to have six mess-ups, no matter the position._

_"We-well, I'm falling behind on ta-xes actually."_

_"What?! How?" Lucille gasped out, holding her friend's shoulder gently._

_"F-funny story, actually. Kamy and I have been paying the bi-ills, as I told you, for our parent's land...but...Kamy has been accepted to her dream university on a scholarship. B-but, that means...she has...has to cl-close down her veterinary office. So...yeah," Sakura attempted to explain before her tears began to overwhelm her again._

_The sobs renewed as Sakura's emotions drowned her. And Lucille knew exactly why. That land was the last physical piece of Sakura's mother AND father that she had. After years of Sakura trying to keep up with taxes that barely left her with enough for food, going so far as to sell several pieces of memorabilia of her parents, losing the land her parents were buried on would be too much for the woman._

_And at that moment, Lucille was hit with an idea. Her grandfather's words echoed in her mind as the idea raced off her tongue. "I could help pay the taxes."_

_Sakura immediately stiffened and violently shook her head. "N-no! I wou-ldn't want to be a burd-"_

_"No, I mean seriously!" Lucille exclaimed. "You have been paid minimum wage with overtime for the past four years while doing odd jobs on the side. But I! I have a manager position that pays me 150,000G a MONTH, more than half of which I have saved up. At the rate I'm going, I can keep the debt at bay until you can manage it."_

_"B-but..."_

_Lucille continued, her thoughts running out her mouth at top speed. "And since I can do it myself and I KNOW you hate the city, you can stay at my farm and-"_

_"W-wait! Farm?" Sakura interrupted her friend's tangent._

_Lucille nodded, looking Sakura straight in the eye. "I inherited it from my Grandpa. Everything on the farm is paid off, even utilities! You could stay there until I've paid off your utilities and land."_

_"But that would take YEARS, decades even!"_

_"I know but it would allow you to keep your memory of your parents."_

_Violet eyes simply stared at Lucille's brown ones. "I...don't know what to say..."_

_"Say that you will go."_

_"B-but I...I...I can't just go and never repay you!"_

_"You don't have to!"_

_Sakura shook her head, her dark hair flying about. "NO, I want to repay you if I do take this offer. Anything...ask anything of me and I will do it."_

_"Sakura..."_

_"Please...I don't want this to just be kindness. Just...let me repay you," the woman pleaded, her eyes shining with a determination Lucille had only seen once or twice._

_And such a look stopped Lucille from refusing. Sakura never asked of anything as passionately before, and she truly wanted the poor girl to be happy._

_Lucille took a deep breath and sighed. "If...if you really want to repay me then...just make my grandfather's farm as great as it once was. That's all I want for payment."_

_Sakura nodded and began to walk towards the door with a confidence that Lucille had never seen in her stride before._

_"Where are you going?"_

_Sakura looked back, her violet eyes swirling. "To put in my termination notice, of course."_

\---

"...and that's what happened."

Lewis, Robin, and even Gus stared at the girl, their mouths dropped open yet making no sounds.

Lucille blinked slightly and tilted her head. "Uhm, are you all alright?"

The sound of her voice must have hit a switch since Lewis quickly shook his head, shaking himself out of his thoughts. "Y-yes. I just hadn't been expecting such a situation. And she actively asked to repay you, despite you just wanting to help?"

Lucille nodded a bit, sighing. "Yeah. As she later explained, she hates leaving things unpaid since people could and would use it against her. Besides, it was probably for the best."

Robin spoke up, trying to wrap her head around the situation. "How so...?"

A bubbling laugh left Lucille as she swept back her hair. "Well, for one, I've never raised an animal. And two, I can not keep a plant alive to save my life. Sakura, when she was a child, took care of her parents' land with them. In fact, she had been doing all the farming on their land until she moved to the city for a stable income. Therefore, she knows how to take care of a farm.

"The only reason I even came down here was to check the amount of damage I was leaving her to. Of course, I hadn't expected it to be as bad as...well, THAT," Lucille answered, thinking back to the stories the woman had told her.

At that moment, Gus placed their food in front of them. "Sorry if it's slightly off. I got caught up in your explanation of what is going on."

She quickly waved her hand back and forth, giggling a bit. "Oh, it's no problem. I just wanted to explain exactly why I decided to let her stay here."

Gus nodded and returned to his work as more people came in for food. The three remained for a moment, muttering grace to Yoba before digging in. As he had warned the food was a bit overdone, slightly chewy even, but it was still filling.

Robin was the first to break their food coma silence. "So, when is Sakura arriving?"

Lucille lit up a bit, after having explained the most recent details, she was happy for a change of pace. "Well, she is taking her name off the lease for obvious reasons and I have set all my days off for the next two weeks. So...she will get here in a week. She just needs to tie up some loose ends after all." 

Lewis keeps his forefinger to his face, thinking as Robin continued on. "Is she nice?"

"Oh yeah, she is. But...she is very cautious about new people. Again, it took me three an' a half years for her to warm up to me. Being put in a new environment is going to probably isolate her for a bit," Lucille replied, rubbing her head slightly. "Just don't get your hopes up that she'll socialize first thing."

Both of the adults nodded, understanding the clear caution Sakura clearly held. As they all left, they continued to chat about the woman who would move in soon enough.

"...and her little sister is her opposite?"

"Definitely. I only met Kamy once, and you can tell the difference immediately."

"How so?" Lewis questioned.

"Where Sakura is cautious, Kamy is playful and trusting. That and Kamy is an optimist while Sakura leans closer to pessimism if anything else," Lucille answered, a smile gracing her lips.

"Ah," Robin gasped out, "this is where I have to say goodbye. I have to get ready for work tomorrow!"

Lewis nodded as he looked towards the setting sun. "As do I. Being Mayor comes with its responsibilities you know."

Lucille smirked a bit. "I see. Well, I hope to see you in a few days then."

"Of course!"

"As Mayor, I wouldn't dare miss it."

They all swiftly took hands and turned to go their separate ways when Lucille stopped. "Oh, by the way..."

"Hm?" Lewis hummed a bit. "What is it?"

"Sakura will have the upper half of her face covered by her hair. Whatever you do, don't ask her to move it. And don't ask about the wrappings. She won't answer your questions," Lucille vaguely answered.

Robin and Lewis looked at each other, both confused by the strange request. "O...kay," they both answer.

"Good. Bye then!" Lucille giggled before taking off.

 _'What a strange girl...'_ they both thought as the sun finally set over the horizon.


	4. A Trying Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucille attempts to fix up the farm a bit for Sakura...

"Mother of Yoba!" Lucille cursed as she yanked back her hand, hissing at her stinging finger. Her ax hit the ground with a thud, scattering the nearby birds around her. Her hand trembled a bit as she carefully examined the injury that continued to tingle.

A splinter.

A motherfucking splinter was the cause of her pain. Lucille shook her head, groaning as she walked towards the house. 'This is the twentieth time today!' she thought as she pulled out the medkit with her left hand, almost dropping it.

Biting her lip, Lucille set down the small box and fumbled to open the latch. Her trembling fingers slipped and burned from the force that they were so unused to as the latch eventually gave way. The spring winds brushed against her hair, sending tingles down her back with the small prickles the emanated from the insignificant injury.

Her eyes fluttered around the plastic container before her eyes finally landed upon the metallic gleam she needed. And as carefully as she could, Lucille brought out the tweezers.

A few hours later, Lewis's eyes fell upon a rather...interesting sight. A smile twitch of his mouth and the strangled sounds from the elderly man reached the woman, who scoffed as she looked over. "Hello to you too, Lewis," Lucille sighed as she set down the tweezers in a very odd manner.

"So," Lewis began as he gazed upon her rather bloodied finger, "do you need some help?"

Lucille mumbled something that Lewis couldn't quite hear, though he could definitely read her hand gestures to the sky. "Please."

A small chuckle left the man as he approached Lucille, sitting beside her. Reaching towards the case, the mayor easily took out a bandage, just over a foot long. "How did this even happen?" he probed, trying to hold back his laughter as he held the girl's hand.

"Well," the girl sighed, "I got the splinter."

At that very sentence and her gesturing to a needle-sized item, Lewis burst out laughing. "You...you sure did. And I thought you were joking last Sunday."

Her eyes flashed a bit at him before she dropped her face into her left hand. "No. I was serious when I said I can't farm." 

And as Lewis looked upon the splintered tree that still stood before him, it just asserted the issue. The dents in the weeds were just knicks in a stone path in all honesty.

Lucille hissed a bit as the sterile bandage bit into the wound, binding the folds back together. "Thank you."

"It's no problem, Lucy," Lewis responds gently.

"Still, I thought this would help my friend. But...I guess chopping trees and weeding the land is already out of my league. Which absolutely sucks," Lucille sighed, frowning at her newly bandaged hand. And while it was better, it still stung.

The mayor hummed a bit, staring at the land as the girl struggled with her minor failure. The place had once been extremely beautiful and rather domestic, but time had taken it all back. He truly hated seeing his friend's land like this, so damaged. And knowing Lucille couldn't fix it definitely stung him. But...if Sakura could truly help, then he wasn't going to refuse the situation.

"So...how did she describe it?"

"Hm?"

"Sakura. How did she describe her family's land?" Lewis clarified.

Lucille didn't speak as she thought about her friend, who was arriving just tomorrow. How resolute the look her friend wore before she left to Kairos. It just...left her with a sense of...understanding.

So, she closed her eyes and began to describe exactly how Sakura had.

\---

_ "My home was simple." _

_ "Simple?" Lucille asked, looking around the apartment. "Like...the room we're in now?" _

_ Sakura shook her head, her raven hair flowing slightly with the movement. "No. It was an actual house. A home. I remember that it had...no HAS two floors, the bedrooms upstairs and everything else down. My room was across from Kamy's and was connected to Mother and Father's room.  _

_ "The walls were the color of amber shown through sunlight, contrasting with the aged oak floors," Sakura continued to describe. _

_ The auburn-haired woman listened to the girl as she continued speaking, drawing the very image of the house. And as she closed her eyes, Lucille could see the gentle glow of the walls, the ancient lights, and even the creaking floor. _

_ Sakura continued, "The scent of my mother's candles filled the house, though it was so subtle you wouldn't notice until you left. It was warm, comforting, floral." _

_ "And your mother?" _

_ The girl took a deep breath before continuing. "She...had that youth no one could match, an allure of friendliness. Her hair is like my sister's, like sand drenched in water. But her hair was also like mine, with the long, smooth feeling to it. Her eyes were...gentle. I often remember the vague green they were when she would sing lullabies to us." Sakura looked at the wall as if immersed in her own memories. _

_ And at the same time, Lucille could see the woman, a fusion of elegance and freedom. She could envision a little Sakura sitting on the woman's lap, the woman's hand on her head gently petting her. The motherly smile that carried all the words that every child wished to hear. _

_ Lucille then spoke again. "And your father." _

_ That seemed to shake Sakura out of her own mind. "I...don't remember as much, though that is my mind blocking things from memory. However, I remember how he and his siblings would tend to the fields of grain. How he would tame the animals so dearly. And, most of all, how loving he was before mother..." Sakura stopped, looking away rather abruptly. _

_ "Your mother...?" _

_ The girl shook her head. "That's enough. I don't wish to speak of it all anymore." With that, the girl got to her feet and rushed into the main bedroom, from where she did not emerge until the next morning. _

\---

Lucille finally spoke. "Sakura...described it as home. A place where she could always comfort. But, even though she tried to show it in a good light, there was something..." Silence reigned again, if only for a moment, as the girl tried to find the word.

"Something sad, emotional, distressed?" Lewis offered.

Still, the girl shook her head, as the words didn't quite fit. "Melancholy. A happy, yet melancholy feeling," she clarified, finding the word to fit the memory quite well. "Like it was a fractured mirror, one that only a teenager could achieve. Where they are no longer blinded by the rose-tinted world around her."

Lewis hummed, thinking about such knowledge. "How...old was she when she began to work in the city...for Joja?"

A single huff that sounded suspiciously like laughter left the woman. "She was sixteen."

The mayor abruptly looked at her, eyes wide. "SIXTEEN?! What...what happened to her parents that led her to the city?" he exclaimed inquisitively.

"That's the thing. Even now, I don't know what happened. All I know is that something happened to her mother and father, something that left her to work relentlessly and Kamy to get her veterinary license before she was even fourteen to open a veterinary office. The moment I even got close to finding out, Sakura...kinda shut down and refused to speak about it," Lucille mentioned, looking at her hands. Both hands were trembling as she realized she truly didn't comprehend what situation Sakura had been in.

Lewis, discerning the circumstances, looked out to the land again. "We know she is kind and...cautious but...what led to you trying to befriend her?"

The woman smiled a bit at him before answering. "Sakura...struck me as lonely. As if...as if she had no one but Kamy. She has mentioned her cousins in passing, but nothing else has struck me as much as her detachment of it all. She works to make ends meet and Kamy, when I met her, even said that Sakura wouldn't eat until Kamy had her fill. But...I..."

Lewis shook his head a bit. "Don't worry about it. We'll try to help her through whatever is going on in her head."

A breath of relief left the girl, happy that the mayor was at least willing to help her friend.

"Welp," he muttered as he got to his feet, "The sun is setting, so I best head home."

"Ah, right. Goodnight Lewis."

He nodded his answer to her and turned to walk away.

"And Lewis?"

"Hm?" He turned back to see her slight smile, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"Thank you."

He smiled back, though he did feel a bit warm.

"No problem, Lucy."

\---

Knocking awoke the poor Lucille as she tried to rest for tomorrow. Groaning reached out to the sky as her phone screen lit up.  ** 3:54 AM. **

She sighed and got to her feet, stretching as she did so. A small wince left her as the sound of a rather loud pop shot like lightning through her. The knocking repeated again, though not as desperate. "Coming, coming," Lucille called out as she wrapped her robe around her.

And as she opened the front door, her eyes widened. "Wait, you're already here?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll all be officially meeting Sakura in the next chapter.


	5. First Impressions Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura's first impression on Robin and Lewis.

The moment her alarm clock rang, Robin jumped out of her bed, waking her husband. And he could only watch as his wife rushed to get dressed.

"Honey...?" he asked, sitting up and brushing the sleep from his eyes.

Robin quickly turned to him as she tied her messy, auburn hair back into a messy bun. "Sorry, Demetrius, but I'm meeting with someone today." As she spoke, his wife fumbled with her shoelaces that simply didn't want to tie. The floors creaked as she yanked her jacket off the coatrack. "I promised Ms. Greenhorn to meet her friend," Robin added as she swiftly put on her last piece of apparel.

Demetrius nodded, as Robin had been speaking about it before. About the woman who Ms. Greenhorn was leaving on her own family farm. He had, of course, been worried. But after hearing the explanation that Lucille had given everyone, well, it made it more understandable. 

It still didn't settle the small part of him that whispered about the girl's true intentions.

"So...she arrives today," He inquired. Though, Robin knew full well it wasn't a question.

Even so, she answered as if it was. "Yes, Miss Sakura needed to tie up loose ends after all." And with that, she walked out.

Personally, she had no time for skepticism of the situation. Sure it was rather unusual, but Sakura had asked to repay her friend despite not needing to. That left an early impression that the girl truly valued those she trusts.

And today seemed to be starting great after all! For once, her son was up early, making coffee. "Good morning, Sebastian!" she greeted him cheerfully, resulting in him almost dropping his beverage.

"...Good morning, mom," he responded in kind, though he still didn't look at her. But, even though she felt needles in heart, Robin was simply happy he acknowledged her. That was all she could ask for.

"Well, could you hold down the fort for today?" she asked him. "I'm meeting with the new farmer today."

He nodded and as she moved to leave he spoke. "Why would someone leave the city?" His voice was cold and held a bit of heat all the same.

Robin tilted her head to him before simply saying, "Actually, Lucille said Sakura hated being in the city."

Of course, the mother didn't see, as she walked out the door, her son's confused face. But she knew it was there all the same. Sebastian always raved to her about running to the lights so far away, so learning that a young lady left because she hated it wouldn't make sense.

As she thought on her son, her feet crunched the gravel beneath her feet, making a squelching sound every other step. The wind, as slight as it was, blew through the leaves, leaving a rustling in her ears. The steps, cracked and chipped from time, collided with her moving feet.

** Tip. **

** Tack. **

** Tip. **

** Tack. **

**_ Squelch. _ **

Her feet made such sounds as she continued. Robin finally shook her head, shaking the matter from her mind. And at that moment, she collided with someone.

"Ah, Robin!" the voice called, immediately revealing the person as the Mayor.

"Oh, hello Lewis!" she greeted him. "Sorry, I was...preoccupied."

He nodded a bit, looking out beyond the community center. "I quite understand. I too have been wondering about Ms. Lizin."

Robin blinked a few times. "Lizin?"

He responded in kind. "Ah, right! Lucille informed me that Sakura's last name is Lizin. Apparently, Sakura prefers people to call her by her last name at first."

Robin contemplates that though it does fit well. A first name basis generally implies familiarity, and she didn't exactly know them.

The wind continued to flow around them as they continued on, going down to the center of the town and turning right. It was mostly silent as they thought about how Sakura was described.

And as stone turned into dirt, the sound of a mechanical purr reached their ears. All at once, they both looked each other and back down the road. Their bus wasn't functional and the next city bus wouldn't arrive for another hour. Their pace increased rapidly, their walk becomes a run, as they approached the bus stop.

There a small truck sat, a young man leaning against it as Lucille grabbed a box. They could see as the city girl adjusted her weight so as to stay upright. Sweat drenched Lucille's forehead as she shuffled towards the path.

A cough left Lewis, catching the girl's attention. "Oh, good morning!" she called to them, her voice slightly strained as she held the box.

The mayor's eyes flashed towards the truck and then back at the girl. "So...what's happening?" he asked, tilting his head and glancing once again to the vehicle.

She sighed and set down the box, stretching afterward.

"Well... _ someone _ decided to show up at _ four in the morning _ so that she wouldn't have to wait for the bus," Lucille explained, her expression still strained. "That and I had my cousin drive her stuff up here."

Both of them blinked, not quite processing the information.

Then a voice broke through. "I...didn't mind the hike. It was...comforting," the unfamiliar voice spoke. As if on queue, they turned to the path and saw someone.

Lewis's first impression was clear. Sakura was a shy girl, her hair fully covering her eyes. Just as he was told, her skin was light but not pearly in its appearance. More...like the sand on the beach. Of course, her dark hair that was pulled back in a ponytail also drew his attention. The hair was thick and nearly went down to her knees. But her stance was that of uneasiness, as if she wasn't sure how to react.

For Robin, on the other hand, her first impression worried her. The girl herself wasn't worrying. Nor was her white shirt and mid-shin jeans. No, it was the bandages that covered the girl's forearms and hands. They were tied tightly and didn't move like gloves at all. There was no blood but...such bandages still left her feeling that girl was...covering something.

Lucille, ignoring their reactions, turned to her friend and rolled her eyes. " _ Considering _ the city is a _ nearly thirteen-hour drive _ , I would say you are either the fastest person alive, or you left to come here two days ago!" she seethed.

Sakura, in her infinite wisdom, shook her head. "I finished packing Tuesday. I...my birth home, where everything comes from, it's a...five-mile walk from here."

"Wait, it's that close?!"

The raven-haired girl nodded slightly but offered no more words.

Lucille simply facepalmed and turned to Lewis and Robin. "Ignore my friend who is practically insane-"

"Not insane. Just...excited."

"Whatever you call it, it's INSANE," Lucille muttered, rolling her eyes once again. "Regardless...Robin, Lewis, this is Sakura Lizin." Lucille simply gestured to her friend who...bowed down? "Sakura, this is the mayor, Lewis Jamerson, and the carpenter, Robin Wright," she continued, motioning to each person as she mentioned them. 

Sakura moved out of her bow and responded, in her gentle, quiet voice. "It's...nice to meet you both." And with an elegance they hadn't pegged her for, she lifted her hand to her chest and clenched her fist.

"Ah...Uhm...Welcome Ms. Lizin," Lewis greeted the girl, torn between a simple greeting or shaking her hand. In the end, he put his hand out for a shake. 

For a minute, his hand just...was there.

Then, Sakura slowly took it with her left, as awkward as the movement was, and shook it. Her grip, he noted, was soft and not actually gripping. She only shook it once or twice, but he noticed how she quickly pulled away.

Robin watched and she felt herself quiet. The girl wasn't one for physical touches, that much was clear. But...she still tried to have a sense of strength. Robin, in that sense, respected Sakura. Her voice smoothed and she spoke to the girl in the same way she would a scared animal. " Hello, Ms. Lizin. I'm glad we finally met."

Sakura nodded in kind, and Robin thought she heard a whispered  _ Thank You _ .

Both the women stared at each other, not moving or speaking. The mayor simply looked between, also at a loss.

Lucille's voice slashed through the moment. "Uh, Sakura? By the way..."

The girl's eyes broke from them, turning to her friend. Her head simply tilted and she waited.

"What is even in this box? It's heavy," Lucille complained trying to lift the box back up.

Sakura blinked. "My tools. Besides...I need to teach you how to hold an ax. I know you want to...help, but getting splinters every five minutes isn't exactly...productive." And, as if it were nothing, Sakura picked up the box that Lucille couldn't.

Lucille simply stared at her friend, her mouth dropped open. 

"Also...lift with your legs and then your back. Otherwise, you'll pull the muscles in your back before you can even say...back pain," Sakura added before walking towards the farm. Her pace was slow but efficient.

The man, who had largely been forgotten, laughed out loud. "She's got you there, Lucy!" he wheezed.

Her cheeks flushed crimson as she screeched out, her voice breaking slightly, "Oh hush, Ramon! Like your helping us move everything!"

He shook his head. "I already did."

"I didn't mean by  _ driving _ everything here!"

"I ALSO helped her move her things into the truck," Ramon snarked back, effectively shutting Lucille up.

Sakura walked back into view as Lucille facepalmed again. "We only have ten more boxes to go."

"Wait WHAT?!" Lucille squeaked, her voice approaching inaudible territory.

Robin simply watched as Sakura nodded and moved towards the vehicle. As Lucille was raving about it all and Ramon wasn't helping, the carpenter immediately moved to help. As Sakura had said, there were ten more boxes that varied in size.

As she grabbed a box, Robin noted the beautiful handwriting that simply said  _ Clothes _ . At the same time, she watched as Sakura picked up a box that she actually did struggle with. "Are you okay?" Robin asked as Sakura shifted her weight.

"...Yes. This box just...has a few pieces to my harp," the girl answered as she shuffled away with the box.

'A...harp?' Robin thought before carrying the box to Kairos farm. With the girl's bashful nature, she never would have pegged her to own a harp. Maybe a violin but not a very expensive harp.

When they got to the farm, she noticed how the box from early was set on the patio. As Robin walked inside she finally asked her recently wondered question. "How...did you get a harp?"

Sakura glanced at her as she set the box on the table. "Grandmother. She had Grandfather make her harp for their second anniversary. Later, my mother inherited it, and now I own it. Unlike my parents, I just couldn't sell my grandmother's unique heirloom." 

Sakura quickly opened the box and handed a piece of it to Robin. And as Robin examined it, she truly could see the care and unique patterns imprinted on it. Even a small carved-in message, proclaiming love to a woman, most likely Sakura's Grandmother.

"I see," she whispered as she handed it back to Sakura. "Do...you have any other heirlooms from...your family?"

Sakura paused before looking at her. "Only one. A gift from my mother...from a month before she died." 

Silence fell over them and before Robin could break it, Sakura rushed out the door.

Carefully, Robin followed the girl, realizing she may have gone too far. "I...I'm sorry," she called after her.

Sakura slowed before calling back, "It's...no issue. Just...I...I'm not ready yet. I may never be."

Both the women walked together in silence, back to the truck.

The girl's appearance was more relaxed now, Robin noticed. As if...her apology soothed something within Sakura. 

"...mon, no. You need to help us!" Lucille's voice echoed out as they both got back.

"Lucy, Dad will kill me if I leave his truck alone. You know this," Ramon complained.

Sakura sighed and simply ignored them, grabbing three rather light boxes as Robin watched them bicker. Lewis, realizing they were going to be at it for a while, grabbed a box of his own and followed her. And Robin grabbed another and moved.

\---

The screeching match between the family member continued until a voice spoke up. "Lucille, Mr. Ramon! We are almost finished!" Robin yelled as she glanced at her watch.

** 12:14 PM. **

There was only the box in her arms left. Sakura had grabbed a few bags from the back of the car and Lewis had long since said his goodbyes and left. At least he carried two boxes out of all the packages.

Lucille groaned as her cousin quickly hightailed it to the truck, driving off after noticing the car was empty. as he took off down the road, Lucille called after him. "YOU LAZY PIECE OF SHI-"

A hand covered her mouth, a jolt shooting down Robin's spine as Sakura shut Lucille up. A sense of exhaustion had taken over the raven's face as she said, in a surprisingly stern voice, "No."

Lucille instantly calmed down and looked away. The girl gripped her arms as she hissed out apologies to the girl, though no malice was in her tone.

On the other hand, Robin simply stood and stared at Sakura, who didn't seem like the type to raise her voice. Then she thought about how Lucille had been addressing Ramon, and she connected the thought that Sakura is an older sister who had to care for her younger sister all alone. That would explain a bit more.

Lucille coughed out and steadied herself before speaking to both Robin and Sakura. "Well then, we should head to the saloon for some food, eh?" she quickly said, drawing Sakura's attention away as she nodded a bit.

Robin quickly considered that before replying, "Unfortunately, I have to head home. I'll probably be keeping the shop open later to compensate for this morning."

The auburn-haired girl opened her mouth only for Sakura to respond first. "Okay then. I'll...see you around." The girl looked at Lucille who closed her mouth rather quickly.

Robin nodded and headed home, thinking about the strange girl and her unique nature. But more, she got questions answered only for new ones to pop up.

"Well," Lucille muttered to her friend, "ready to meet a few people in town?"

Sakura nodded as she clasped her hands together. "As long as it's brief."

Lucille smiled a bit and took her friend's arm before taking off down the road. And as Sakura was dragged along, she too had a gentle grin on her face.


End file.
